IELTS Essay Task 1: Social Media Presence for Businesses

Question

The bar chart displays data concerning the social media presence of small, medium and large businesses in the UK between 2012 and 2016. Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that figures for all types of businesses grew despite a widespread and significant pullback in 2015. Large businesses increased the least yet had by far the greatest presence each individual year.

In terms of small businesses, less than 30% (the lowest point on the chart) had a social media presence in 2021. This number then rose to 35% by 2014, before a pullback to the 2013 level (30%), and a final surge to fewer than half with a presence to end the period.

The trend for medium-sized businesses was almost identical. This can clearly be seen when the proportions of the two smaller categories in 2015 were exactly the same and the difference in the start and the end of the period years was only approximately 2%. However, the gap widened dramatically as almost half of the medium businesses had a social media presence in the other two years.

Large businesses stayed around 78% for the majority of the period described apart from a dip to 51% in 2015.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Please read my advice for Task 1 essays:

IELTS TASK 1: Hints, Tips And Advice

Vocabulary Words For Task 1: Reference Post

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Phoenix LeeThe bar chart displays data concerning

That is very vague. Write exactly what values are plotted.

Phoenix Leebetween 2012 and 2016.

That is one period, so the reader expects that data to be aggregated for these four years. That is, there is one bar for each type of business.

This expression is ok for line graphs, but not bar charts with discrete bars.

Phoenix Lee ~~Looking from an overall perspective,~~ i

You have changed the topic of the paragraph, from describing the figure, to writing about its data content. You have to start a new paragraph when you change topics.

Do not describe what you are doing. Focus solely on the information.

Phoenix Lee ~~it is readily apparent~~ that figures for all types of

Do not use these dummy-it clauses. Read my advice.

Figures is wrong.

Phoenix LeeThis ~~number then~~

Use pronouns to avoid repetition. The values are percentages, not numbers.

This rose ....

Phoenix Leefinal surge to fewer than half

Surge is an drama-laden term. Avoid these dramatic words in Task 1. It is for science and math, which do not accommodate drama.

"Fewer than half" is very vague. Five percent is fewer than half, and so is 49%.

Phoenix LeeThe trend for medium-sized businesses was almost identical.

You need to learn the mathematical term "correlation" and "correlated."

Phoenix Lee ~~This can clearly be seen when~~ the proportions of the two smaller categories in 2015 were exactly the same and the difference in the start and the end of the period years was only approximately 2%.

I do not understand "two smaller". Are there several categories for small businesses?
the start and the end of the period years - awkward and unnatural. "period years" does not make sense. You need the years: 2012 and 2016.

Phoenix LeeLarge businesses stayed around 78% for the majority of the period ~~described~~ apart

Your paragraphing is choppy and not well organized. Read my advice on the three-paragraph format for Task 1. You may request a sample essay.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Topic:

The bar chart shows the percentage of the small, medium, large companies which used social media for business purposes between 2012 to 2016.

Sample essay.

The time-series bar chart compares the percentages of businesses which had social media accounts which they used for business purposes each year between 2012 and 2016. They are further grouped by company size: small, medium and large.

Overall, large businesses had higher percentages, with the majority using social media each year. Small and medium businesses had much lower percentages, and their patterns over these four years were quite similar.

In detail, nearly four out of five large businesses took advantage of social media, with the exception of 2015, when there was a bare majority, 51%. Over the other four years, the average was 78%. In contrast, only about three in ten of the small and medium businesses had accounts in 2012 and 2015. Their highest percentages occurred in 2016, with about 49% of small and 53% of medium firms. Between 2012 and 2015, small companies averaged just over 30%, compared to nearly 40% for medium-sized companies. That was due to their comparatively high percentages in 2013 and 2014, just under 50%.

Phoebe phoebe · Answer

Thanks a lot!

Great content as usual.

IELTS Essay Task 1: Social Media Presence for Businesses

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